1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is an internal combustion engine, and in particular, discloses an engine having a pair of piston assemblies that are perpendicular with one another, and which drive a common crankshaft to provide a power source.
It will be understood that the engine construction disclosed herein can be modified to act as a compressor. As a compressor, the perpendicular cylinder chambers and piston assemblies and their relationship with a crankshaft would be substantially the same. Modifications known in the compressor art can be made so that the compressor acts as a selected multi-stage compressor. For purposes of clarity, the following description is directed to an internal combustion engine only.
2. Description of the Related Art
Traditional internal combustion engine layouts include reciprocating pistons in cylinder chambers. Generally, a plurality of pistons (oftentimes 2, 4, 6 or 8) are aligned in various configurations in a block. The reciprocating motion of the pistons is transmitted through a crankshaft to a selected output shaft. The output shaft is connected to a load, such as an axle in an automobile.